Gish Picks: Week of December 31, 2008


I hope you all have a safe and HAPPY NEW YEAR! Welcome to this week's "Gish Picks", where I highlight family-oriented cultural events, products or services. Please note that I "highlight" these events, but I don't know if they are appropriate for your particular children, so choose wisely based on age, maturity and interests. I know many of you go to events based on GISH PICKS recommendations; PLEASE remember to tell the organization that you are there because of us. Word-of-mouth like yours helps our business to grow. In the same spirit, please also feel free to share GISH PICKS with friends and families. Do you have something you would like to promote on Gish Picks? Advertisers can promote family-friendly events, products or services to Houstonians all over the city and the surrounding area who are active parents, involved citizens and great shoppers. We love doing this community service and want to keep it free for our readers but in order to justify the hours spent researching, writing and designing this newsletter, we need advertising support. If you'd like to learn more, please click below. Now, GO FIND FUN!

THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, HOUSTON'S "TARGET FREE FIRST SUNDAY" IS CHOCK FULL OF ACTIVITIES.

"Any Which Way You Go – It’s all about transportation" is the topic of the Museum's monthly family event this Sunday, January 4, from 1-5pm. Through a variety of activities, families will discover things that roll, drive, and fly through art -- including family-themed films that bring trains and cars to life.

Below is a list of what is happening; please note that there are activities both in the Law Building (the original Museum building) and the Beck Building (the newer Museum building), both located at Main and Binz streets.

BECK BUILDING

Opera in the Heights
Second Floor European Galleries
Performances at 2pm and 3pm
Voices will soar as leading singers from Opera in the Heights present two afternoon programs for your enjoyment.

Mildred’s Umbrella Theatre Company
First Floor Mezzanine
Performance at 3:30pm
Mildred's Umbrella Theater Company presents a modern version of the classic Aesop’s Fable The Tortoise and the Hare, written by company member, Karen Schlag and performed by Bobby Haworth and Jonathan Harvey.

"Look Closely Discovery Tour"
American Galleries
2-3pm
Have fun exploring all the different ways artists show us how people come and go. You’ll see works of art with cowboys riding horses, an old fashioned horse drawn carriage, and an airplane that seems to fly without a pilot!

Storytime Tours
2pm, 2:30pm, 3pm, and 3:30pm
Enjoy a great story while discovering the things that roll, drive and fly through art.

Art Cars
Port-Cochere
Get an up-close look at several of the decorated cars from the Art Car Museum on view from 1-5 pm.

The Original Trolley Company
Port-Cochere
Take a ride with The Original Trolley Company and travel around museum buildings from 1-4pm.

Whatever Floats Your Boat!
Lobby
Discover all the different ways artists paint boats and then create your own paper boat and mighty sail. Become the powerful captain of your ship!

Lemonade Stand
Beck Outside Entrance

LAW BUILDING

Saddle Up and Sketch
Steps at East Entrance (Butterfield Horse)
Look carefully and notice all the details of the Butterfield Horse as you sketch it.

Fold and Fly
Cullinan Hall
Make an origami airplane using a variety of papers decorated with patterns and colors.

Metro Kids Stop
Interactive Learning Center
Visit Metro’s Kids Stop, an interactive transportation activity area.

Family Flicks
Brown Auditorium Theatre (basement)
"Love Those Trains", 2pm-3pm
Thundering trains once bridged all the world's continents, helping to settle new lands and unite distant cultures. With this film you'll celebrate their majesty past and present, even taking a first-class seat aboard the Orient Express!

Family Flicks
Brown Auditorium Theatre (basement)
"Driving the Dream"
3:30-4pm
Who are the artists behind those wonderful art cars and what inspires them? In this entertaining short film, Harrod Blank displays two of his personal wheeled creations and introduces us to the Hamburgermobile, a grass-covered bus, and a former race car driver who transformed his pick-up truck into a celebration of bells and whistles. Watch for scenes from Houston’s own Art Car Parade!

NO, VIRGINIA, CHRISTMAS IS NOT OVER!

The Rockettes are coming to Houston straight from the stage of Radio City Music Hall with their largest production ever in the show’s 76-year history. Directed and choreographed by Linda Haberman, who conceived and directed last year’s critically acclaimed 75th celebratory show at Radio City Music Hall, this multi-faceted theatrical touring production was completely constructed for a large arena space, allowing the audience to experience the magic of “The Christmas Spectacular” at the grandest scale ever imagined by the Radio City creative team. Hitting the road with thirty-four trucks and sixteen buses, the show celebrates Christmas with dramatic arena lighting effects; breathtaking imagery; flying sequences; new musical compositions; and an array of glamorous new costumes. The touring production features high-energy, tap-infused Rockette performance numbers, breathtaking sets that surround the audience, and special effects that fill the venue. The production is enhanced by an immense LED screen that transports the audience from a wintry landscape to Times Square to Santa’s Workshop. Be sure not to miss Santa flying out into the audience as snow falls upon the crowd! This is a show for all ages and a great way to wrap up the holiday season.

“The Christmas Spectacular” is coming to the Toyota Center January 2-4; tickets start at $29.

YOU CAN STILL CATCH "THE CLONE WARS".

For those “Clone Wars” fans there is good news: Space Center Houston has extended their exhibit “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” through January 1 – and they’re open daily! Fans of all generations can immerse themselves into a total Star Wars experience by seeing genuine props, models and artifacts used in filming the highly anticipated movie and TV series “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”. And in case you’re into keeping up with the Joneses, this is the exhibition’s world debut. The show features impressive pieces throughout the Star Wars saga including Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi’s light sabers; a full-sized star fighter used in filming “Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones”; original sketches, digital prints and 3-D models of legendary Star Wars characters including Yoda, Padmé Amidala, C-3PO and R2-D2 used in the creation of “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”, which was Lucasfilm’s first animated feature film. A host of Star Wars characters including Storm troopers and R2-D2 will be keeping an eye on their priceless pieces at Space Center Houston as visitors celebrate this special event in movie memorabilia history. The Center is open 10am-5pm weekdays and 10am-7pm weekends.

"FOLLOW YOUR HEART: PARENT/CHILD ART WORKSHOP".

Join me and the staff of FotoFest on Saturday, January 10 from 11am-3:30pm for a special workshop presented by FotoFest's Literacy Through Photography and Gish Creative at 1113 Vine Street. PLEASE NOTE: LUNCH WILL BE PROVIDED! I will present a workshop incorporating art and education showing how to encourage children to follow their heart. This is a great opportunity to connect with your child (or children) in a unique way! You’ll learn what makes your child sing and how to encourage them while creating a work of art together that you will take home. The art will incorporate photography and writing, inspired by FotoFest's Literacy Through Photography curriculum. I will discuss concrete ways for parents to encourage children to uncover their passions while children will participate in a separate kid-friendly, fun activity. This will be followed by a joint family (or caregiver/child) art activity specifically designed to reveal each person’s creativity and joy. Throughout the workshop, children and adults will be encouraged to speak up about what makes their hearts joyful! Each adult attendee will receive a $25 gift certificate for Hollywood Frame Gallery that can be used towards framing the artwork made.

Families with children of all ages are welcome and in all configurations: parent/child pairs, moms and/or dads with one or all children, caregivers with children, etc. Pre-Registration is required and the cost is $100/family unit. To register, please contact Marianne Fives at 713.223.5522 ext 12 or ltp2@fotofest.org.

"Follow Your Heart: Parent/Child Art Workshop"

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My goal is to serve as an information resource for Houston parents through my various endeavors, including:

GISH PICKS, which is online (www.thesummerbook.com/gishpicks_archive.html) and in the Houston Community Newspaper group (www.hcnonline.com);

THE SUMMER BOOK®: A GUIDE TO HOUSTON DAY CAMPS AND CLASSES FOR KIDS AND TEENS (www.thesummerbook.com) which comes out annually on March 1 and is sold at bookstores all over Houston, including Barnes and Noble and Borders; and

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS, INTERACTIVE WORKSHOPS, PRIVATE CONSULTATIONS, AND ART PROGRAMS that cover topics such as summertime fun, passion-finding (for adults, children, and parents helping their children), marketing, historic preservation, art classes, and activism. All of these services can be tailored for any audience and budget.

The purpose of GISH PICKS is to help parents become aware of all the fun things they can do with their children in Houston and the surrounding area, so HAPPY TRAVELS! Please do give me feedback and ideas, as you are out there in the trenches also looking for interesting things for your family and I want to hear what you find. If you are having trouble getting to a website listed here, try hitting the “Ctrl” button and left-clicking on the web address, which should make it “live”.


Sarah Gish Gish Creative 1940-A Fountainview, PMB 116 Houston, Texas 77057 phone/fax: 713.532.1173 email: sarah@gishcreative.com web: www.gishcreative.com and: www.thesummerbook.com and: www.saveourlandmarks.org © 2008 Sarah Gish Designed by West of the World